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Inspired by the works of Arthur C. Clarke, J.G. Ballard and Philip K. Dick, Infinite Summer sees Michael Lovett’s NZCA Lines “marry sci-fi futurism to personal intimacies” to produce what must surely be one of the funkiest apocalyptic concept albums of all time. Indeed, also featuring former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley and drummer Sarah Jones (Hot Chip, New Young Pony Club), the follow-up to 2012’s self-titled debut may center on […]

Named after a term used for trained assassins he heard in a documentary on espionage, Skilled Mechanics sees trip-hop trailblazer Tricky assemble his own killer team for the most collaborative studio effort of his lengthy career. Some of those on board are no stranger to the world of Adrian Thaws, including regular vocalist Francesca Belmonte who lends her sultry tones to the eerie synth-balladry of “We Begin,” drummer Luke Harris […]

As you’d expect from a founding member of studious classical-electro outfit Clean Bandit, British-Ugandan vocalist/rapper Love Ssega certainly isn’t short on brainpower. Born and raised in South London, the 24-year-old graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, then made the brave decision to quit the aforementioned Grammy winners to finish his Ph.D. in laser sensing. Love Ssega (real name Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka) is just as cultured as he […]

Judging by all the pre-release talk of shunning EDM, steering dance music back into a proper direction and making a piece of art, you’d expect Steve Angello’s second solo LP, Wild Youth, to be something of a game-changer. So it’s slightly baffling to hear that the Stockholm DJ has delivered the kind of unadventurous, generic and largely forgettable record he appears to be rallying against. Indeed, featuring guest appearances from […]

David Bowie, arguably one of the most influential figures in modern music for the past 40-plus years, died on Sunday, Jan. 10 after a battle with cancer. He was 69. While previous rumors of his death in years past were greatly exaggerated, the news has been confirmed by Bowie’s representatives and his son Duncan Jones (via Twitter). The following statement appears on Bowie’s official Facebook page: “David Bowie died peacefully […]

So after crowning Jamie xx’s “Loud Places” and Bob Moses’ Days Gone By as the greatest single and album of 2015 respectively, we now switch our attention to what we can expect to hear over the next twelve months in the world of dance/electronica. The first big album out of the blocks this year is Moth (Jan 22), the third album from alt-pop duo Chairlift, which judging by its first […]

Tiesto Tops List of World’s Highest Paid DJs

A concept which began in the late 90s, the era of the superstar DJ was presumed to have been dead and buried up until the EDM scene started to take over America almost a decade later. Now, according to a new rich list published by Forbes magazine last week, the world’s biggest knob-twiddlers are raking in the kind of cash that most rock acts could only dream about.

Indeed, the extortionate sums DJs used to earn during the heyday of superclubs Cream and Gatecrasher would now be considered little more than pocket money by a new generation of jocks who are arguably far more commercial minded than their predecessors.

Top of the survey, perhaps surprisingly, is Dutchman Tiesto, who despite failing to produce even one genuine crossover single in his career, has earned an incredible $22 million over the past 12 months, largely due to his mammoth 174-date Kaleidoscope tour. Man of the moment, Skrillex, whose turbo-charged take on the dubstep sound earned him three Grammy Awards back in February, is quite some way behind, although $15m isn’t exactly a figure to be sniffed at.

Swedish House Mafia may have announced they were disbanding last month, but having amassed a $14m fortune during the past year, they’re unlikely to be strapped for cash. But considering you can’t turn on the radio these days without hearing one of his productions, it’s something of a surprise that ubiquitous Frenchman David Guetta only comes in at fourth with $13.5m. However, it’s not the only shock on the list.

Outspoken Canadian Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, who has recently mouthed off at almost everyone in the entire dance genre, will surely have something to say about the fact he only netted half a million dollars more than DJ Pauly D, best-known for being one of the perma-tanned housemates on Jersey Shore. Meanwhile, Avicii, a virtual unknown less than two years ago, has accrued a tidy $7m sum to place at No.10, ahead of more established names such as Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk and Paul Oakenfold.

It’s perhaps understandable how the Top 10’s combined worth from the last year comes in at over $125 million, especially considering their ability to tour extensively with little more than a laptop. And with the EDM revolution showing little sign of slowing down, it seems as though the second wave of superstar DJs will continue to earn superstar fortunes for quite some time to come.

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About the Author

Jon O'Brien's love of music began as a six-year-old after becoming bizarrely transfixed with the 80s poodle rock of Heart, Europe and Def Leppard. Switching his attention to pop icon Michael Jackson, he then became addicted to the UK Top 40, becoming a rather pointless walking Wikipedia of chart positions in the process. Driving his poor neighbors up the wall while learning to play the drums as a teen, he toyed with the idea of becoming a musician, but in studying Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, he realized heÕd rather write about music than perform it. Since then, he's written thousands of reviews and biographies on everything from bubblegum pop to death metal, but electronica remains his main passion, with everything from Aphex Twin to Zero 7 in his spare room-consuming record collection. Jon resides in northwest England near Liverpool.